Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out his 10th straight game when his team hosted the Boston Celtics on Friday. The two-time NBA MVP suffered a left knee injury and a bone bruise against the Indiana Pacers on March 15. Two days later, ESPN reported that Antetokounmpo “doesn’t view this setback as season-ending and intends to play again this season.”
That intent surged to the surface ahead of the Celtics-Bucks showdown. In an interview with The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, Antetokounmpo told the NBA insider:
“I had an initial conversation with who I should be talking to, which is coach Doc Rivers and (general manager) Jon Horst – and the initial conversation is that I want to play. And after that, I’ve never had a conversation again. Nobody has ever approached me about not playing again or whatever the plan is.”
Antetokounmpo added:
“I’m available to play, but I’m not in the game. I’m available to play today. Right now. Do I look like I’m not available? … I don’t see myself in the first 12. I don’t see myself in the starting lineup. I don’t know what game is being played here, I just don’t wanna be part of it.
“I’ve never seen a case of my caliber of player stating publicly: I want to f**king play. … If there needs to be an investigation, great. There should be. I don’t know. There should be.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo called it a “slap in my face” after the Bucks allegedly forced him to sit out. He added that he didn’t “know where the relationship goes from there.”
NBA Will Investigate Bucks After Giannis Antetokounmpo Slammed His Team
The NBA will dig deep into Giannis Antetokounmpo’s claims that the Milwaukee Bucks deliberately kept him out, even if he was healthy. NBA insider Shams Charania reported:
“The NBA is investigating the Milwaukee Bucks for their handling of the player participating policy and potential inconsistent statements regarding the health of Giannis Antetokounmpo, sources tell ESPN. The league has interviewed Antetokounmpo’s side, the Bucks and team doctors.”
The NBA fined the Indiana Pacers ($100,000) and the Utah Jazz ($500,000) this season for “conduct detrimental to the league.” Both were penalized for intentionally sitting out players, a violation of the Player Participation Policy.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a press release that the Pacers and the Jazz undermined “the foundation of NBA competition” for favorable draft odds.
The Bucks are 30-46 before their game against the Celtics. As the team with the 10th-worst record in the NBA, they have a 3.0% chance of winning the draft lottery. By allegedly keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo out, the Bucks could improve their draft positioning.
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